two souls, pastel blues - King Krule / Archy Marshall fanfiction

Chapter Two

  I was sat across the table from Archy Marshall, watching him devour a piece of fried chicken.

"You proper stare at me, don't you?" he laughed, catching my eye.

Blushing, I shook my head quickly and pretended to be interested in the sticky bottle of tomato sauce on the table.

"You should've let me buy you something," he said, leaning back in his chair and admiring the almost completely clean chicken bone in his hand.

"I don't eat meat," I said, grimacing at the bone.

"You could've had chips or a salad or something," As he said this, our eyes both drifted over to the menu on the wall that displayed a picture of the most unappetising salad I'd ever seen.

We both laughed.

"Why'd you leave earlier?" Archy asked when the laughter had died down. His voice was a little softer than I'd heard it before.

"I just don't like big crowds like that," I shrugged, still looking at the ketchup.

"You didn't even say goodbye," his voice was even quieter now and I could feel him staring at me.

"Well you seemed..."

"What?"

"Busy,"

We were both silent.

Archy pulled his phone out of his pocket. I couldn't help but notice the screen was almost completely smashed and the back was scratched beyond repair. He typed something and then stood up, placing it back in his pocket.

"My flat-mates are having a little gathering, do you wanna come?"

I bit my lip for a second, imagining the opportunity to be in a room with Archy alone, but then I snapped out of it. I didn't know the boy, I didn't know his friends.

"Sorry man I've got a shit-tonne of work to do at home," I grabbed my bag and stood up.

I glanced at Archy to see if he seemed disappointed but his expression was pretty much un-phased.

"Alright cool, lets go," he opened the door of the restaurant and I followed him out into the cold night air. We walked in silence down the road until we reached the tube station.

"I'm going that way," he pointed in the direction we'd just walked.

"Oh I had no idea! You didn't have to walk me, I'm sorry," I gushed, instantly feeling embarrassed.

"Nah it's cool, have a good night man," Archy nodded at me and ran a hand through his hair before placing a cig in his lips.

"It was nice meeting you," I smiled, trying to hide my disappointment from his incredibly casual goodbye.

He nodded once more and then turned away. Fuck.

I sighed and began to walk into the station.

"Oh shit, y/n!" I heard Archy's low voice call.

I instantly turned round and saw him jogging into the station.

"I forgot to get your number," he said, a tiny grin forming on his face and then disappearing in a second. He took his cig out of his mouth and passed me his phone before quickly placing it back in and taking another drag.

"Sir, you can't smoke in here!" The security guard shouted.

Archy ignored him and I quickly typed my number into his phone.

"There you go," I handed it back to him, blushing.

"Sick, I'll message you soon man, good to see you," he wrapped one arm round my shoulder and pulled me in for a quick hug. He smelt like cigs and cheap aftershave but in the most alluring way possible.

He pulled away and shoved his fag straight back in his mouth.

"I just said you can't smoke in here-"

"Fuck off man,"

He stuck two fingers up at the security guard and strolled out the station. I tried my hardest to conceal a giggle before turning and heading to my train.